Public market pitched as part of Nanaimo downtown revamp

Nanaimo’s efforts to revitalize its downtown core are developing, with a plan on the table aimed at improving safety and a pitch to transform a derelict site.

At the corner of Commercial and Wallace streets, the owner of the old A&B Sound building could transform the property into a smaller, Granville-Island-style public market.

“If you’re grabbing a coffee, it’s raining outside – you could come into this nice indoor market space,” says the architect, Colin Harper.

Harper says the idea is to create shared common space for kiosks and keep as much of the existing building as possible.

“The project kind of fits in with the city’s larger-scale goals of revitalizing that area,” says Harper.

The City of Nanaimo has been consulting with stakeholders and the community on reimagining key corridors like Commercial Street.

Now, the city’s finance and audit committee is pushing an action plan to council to improve safety downtown.

“Some people are afraid to come downtown,” says Mayor Leonard Krog.

For $2.5 million annually, the city is considering introducing volunteer ambassadors and hiring cleaning teams and 12 community safety officers, among other initiatives.

They would be tasked with basic chores like garbage pickup and graffiti removal, as well as more compassionate work that involves addressing symptoms of the city’s mental health and housing crisis.

“You know, this will be pretty rewarding work if they do it well,” says Krog. “You’ll be connecting people with services, providing businesses with the opportunity to prosper, employees with the comfort they need to go to work.”

The owner of White Rabbit Coffee Co. says she’s happy to see the action plan, mostly to help change the narrative for people who’ve been wary coming to the neighbourhood her business calls home.

“If creating additional safety and putting these things in place brings more vibrancy to the downtown area, then I think it’s a great idea,” says Amy Ferris.

She adds she’s hopeful those at the helm of the efforts are mindful of their approach.

“I do hope this is going to be done with a trauma-informed lens and that we’re able to provide compassionate care to the folks we’re meeting on the street,” says Ferris.